Babus may face action for illegal recruitments

Babus may face action for illegal recruitments

A top CMDA official told TNIE the two officials have been chargesheeted for the illegal recruitment. “Inquiry has been instituted and the chargesheet handed over to the two officials.

Published: 06th October 2021 06:47 AM 

By C Shivakumar

Express News Service

CHENNAI: A Chief Planner and a former administrative officer of Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) could face termination from service for recruiting 18 people who lacked required qualifications and serving them with appointment orders just a day before the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) for the Assembly elections came into force.

A top CMDA official told TNIE the two officials have been chargesheeted for the illegal recruitment. “Inquiry has been instituted and the chargesheet handed over to the two officials. Only after legal inquiry under the service rules will a decision be taken,” the official added. “If the charges are proved, they might be terminated,” the official told TNIE.

Meanwhile, the 18 employees, who were served showcause notices, have moved the Madras High Court and got a stay on the cancellation of their appointments.

The CMDA, according to sources, conducted interviews on February 22 and February 23 for 131 posts and issued appointment orders a day before the MCC came into force, which was announced on February 26. “These 18 were selected bending the rules as they are not eligible for the postings,” said the official.

Immediately after MCC was announced on February 26, the officials started calling the candidates. “Usually, letters would be sent to candidates,” sources said, “But on February 26, this norm was not followed and officials used phones to inform the selected candidates. They were asked to report on Saturday (February 27) when a backdated appointment letter (February 25) was issued to them.”

Sources said the CMDA needs to re-evaluate its recruitment policy and the required strength, which was fixed in the 1980s. The current strength of CMDA is 819 posts. But even of this strength, 40 per cent of posts remain vacant. Moreover, many changes, too, have taken place in terms of traffic, transportation, and other infrastructure in the city over the past 40 years.